The debate continues against organic vs. non-organic and GMO vs. NON-GMO. In my opinion, the science is clear that Organic, NON-GMO foods are not only a better choice, but should be the only one. It still baffles me that “man” feels like he/she needs to manipulate everything on this earth in hopes to make it better, when some things are perfect just the way they are. As soon as we began large scale manipulation of food, we have created diseases never before seen and accelerated others that would otherwise be dormant. Never before have we seen such an increase in neuro-cognitive disorders — Alzheimer’s, dementia, ADD/ADHD, and not to mention Autism at an all time high of 1 in 88 and in some areas 1 in 45! These are astounding numbers. The health community stands perplexed, but I feel the answer is under our nose. No other ubiquitous substance has been so grossly altered in mass quantities than our food supply. It is important we understand the impact of these food stuffs, as the current estimate is that Americans eat their weight in GMO foods per year!
In a recent article published in the British Journal of Nutrition, it stated that there were high concentrations of anti-oxidants such as phenolic acid, anthocyandins and flavones, just to name a few. These compounds are well researched in their ability to reduce the risk of many diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. By introducing more pesticides and herbicides to these crops, in combination with genetic modification, we are robbing ourselves of the most fundamental micronutrients, which would normally aid in the detoxification and recovery of harmful chemical exposure like pesticides. You can see how a simple change in your diet can be life altering when you start to truly understand the different biochemical reactions.
It is important we understand the impact of these food stuffs, as the current estimate is that Americans eat their weight in GMO foods per year!
815 scientists wrote a recent letter to 82 different Countries’ governments on the topic of genetic modification and harmful effects on living beings (http://www.i-sis.org.uk/list.php). The biggest argument from genetic modification is that it is a way to solve world hunger. This has never been proven true. Contrary to that statement, GMO foods have poorer yields than NON-GMO counterparts, with no benefit. One study performed at the University of Nebraska saw a 6.7% yield deficit in GMO soy bean crop when compared to the NON-GMO counterpart. They also had to use 2-5x the amount of herbicide! 6.7% may not seem like a lot, but when you extrapolate that over millions of acres of crops, it adds up quickly. Not to mention, this debunks the argument to get behind GMO, and what about all those additional chemicals?
My hope is one day we will no longer have to fight for label laws. In fact, it would be nice to not have any labels (for organic and NON-GMO foods) because everything would be grown in this manner.
Br J Nutr. 2014 Sep;112(5):794-811. doi: 10.1017/S0007114514001366. Epub 2014 Jun 26.